Cool Master A/C systems ... anybody use one?

[JoeHall]

When I put AC on my '64 Daytona convertible in 2009 (yes, the wife complained about the heat with the top down), I ordered a complete kit from J&N Auto Air Conditioning (good Studebaker guys) in Texas. I got a COMPLETE installation kit, every nut, bolt, belt, clamp, hose, etc. About the only things necessary were cutting the holes where necessary and planning where the screws went. The main parts were from Vintage air, but the J&N guys added everything else. The Daytona did not have power steering which made the installation a little easier.
I don't know if these pix help, but check it out.

This looks near identical to the Summit kit I installed on the 62GT, except mine has PS. The belts run the same though, and are routed in the most logical fashion; each driven component (WP/fan, alternator and compressor) has about 120 degrees of belt, "wrap" around its' pulley. My guess, Summit gets their kits from J&N.

Today, I set up the 63GT exactly as SScopelli's. All it required was cutting a wedge shaped piece from the lower corner of the OEM compressor mount for belt clearance, and a shorter belt. This got away from the OEM setup with two belts on the WP/fan pulley and resultant excess side load on the WP bearing. Only potential problem I can see is the (now) one WP/fan pulley only has about 45 degrees of belt wrap. Whereas, with the OEM setup, both of the two belts had over 90 degrees of wrap. The two belts were overkill, but the single belt may need more than 45 degrees of wrap, to prevent fan/WP slippage. Will find out soon, as I plan to exercise the car a few hundred miles this weekend. Historically, this motor runs cool as a cucumber under all conditions. So f it begins to run warmer, I will immediately suspect WP/fan belt slippage. If that occurs, will just have to spend the big bucks for the Summit/J&N setup.

[sweetolbob]

Can you install to much BTUs? I was talking to a friend at work who does our HVAC jobs and he said that you can put to much of an air conditioner in a house but he was puzzled when it came to what a car would need cause there is a lot of sun coming though the windows and such. He had never thought about it before until today.

For example, Cool Master has 12,000, 13000, and 22000 btu packages that they label small, regular, and Big car applications. They are all a similar price.

All the packages that Im looking at have the 508 Sanden compressor and move 359CFM

So why not just go with the 22,000 BTU option?

I'd go with the biggest evaporator that will fit. You can crack a window if the unit isn't cycling enough. Bob

[what huh]

Can you install to much BTUs? I was talking to a friend at work who does our HVAC jobs and he said that you can put to much of an air conditioner in a house but he was puzzled when it came to what a car would need cause there is a lot of sun coming though the windows and such. He had never thought about it before until today.

For example, Cool Master has 12,000, 13000, and 22000 btu packages that they label small, regular, and Big car applications. They are all a similar price.

All the packages that Im looking at have the 508 Sanden compressor and move 359CFM

So why not just go with the 22,000 BTU option?

[what huh]

Thank you guys for all the replies. I look forward to tackling this project.

I just moved into my new house. We bought a place to call our own and I lucked out, it has a 3 car garage! Time to start messing with Lucy again. First up is A/C and I going to take a crack at making my own bracket

[53k]

When I put AC on my '64 Daytona convertible in 2009 (yes, the wife complained about the heat with the top down), I ordered a complete kit from J&N Auto Air Conditioning (good Studebaker guys) in Texas. I got a COMPLETE installation kit, every nut, bolt, belt, clamp, hose, etc. About the only things necessary were cutting the holes where necessary and planning where the screws went. The main parts were from Vintage air, but the J&N guys added everything else. The Daytona did not have power steering which made the installation a little easier.
I don't know if these pix help, but check it out.

[JoeHall]

If not for photobucket and attack ads and extortion, I could have pointed you to the detailed pics of this installation. Many of my build photos were uploaded there, and then I cleaned up my computer (mistake..). After the photobucket attacks I tried to even get back my own pictures and they kept blocking my retrieval.

But that mount was from Bob Helm, and yes, I had to modify it a bit. But like the OEM, the Idler pulley is on a slide on the front left side.

I'm trying to get more pics.

If you notice I was also able to get the heater hose to come out on the right of the water manifold, and not left when factory installed the AC. A simple "street" 45 and the 5/8 hose barb worked perfect.

Problem with the OEM mount is, the metal plate which the idler pulley mounts on is directly inline with the alternator belt. It appears only that plate's corner would interfere with the belt, I will see if trimming that corner would allow enough clearance for the belt. So now I have a principle in mind, and at least can experiment from here. Thanks

Yes, I noticed the heater hose exit and thought it was very clever. Definitely makes for a cleaner install.

[SScopelli]

SScopelli, looking once again at your pix, it appears you have an aftermarket compressor mount. Mine is an OEM mount, with an adapter on top for the Sanyo 508. Looked at mine this morning, and the OEM mount will not allow routing the alternator belt directly to the crank pulley, as yours does. I have not given up yet, as it may be possible to do some slicing and dicing on the mount, but as is, it's a no-go.

If not for photobucket and attack ads and extortion, I could have pointed you to the detailed pics of this installation. Many of my build photos were uploaded there, and then I cleaned up my computer (mistake..). After the photobucket attacks I tried to even get back my own pictures and they kept blocking my retrieval.

But that mount was from Bob Helm, and yes, I had to modify it a bit. But like the OEM, the Idler pulley is on a slide on the front left side.

I'm trying to get more pics.

If you notice I was also able to get the heater hose to come out on the right of the water manifold, and not left when factory installed the AC. A simple "street" 45 and the 5/8 hose barb worked perfect.

[JoeHall]

SScopelli, looking once again at your pix, it appears you have an aftermarket compressor mount. Mine is an OEM mount, with an adapter on top for the Sanyo 508. Looked at mine this morning, and the OEM mount will not allow routing the alternator belt directly to the crank pulley, as yours does. I have not given up yet, as it may be possible to do some slicing and dicing on the mount, but as is, it's a no-go.

[JoeHall]

These "Kits" are good for supplying the parts. The difficult parts are the AC bracket, and the AC pulley itself. If you can find an AC pulley you might be ahead of the game.

If MC is providing it, they will also provide spacers because you may have to move other components, Alt, Power Steering, etc. to accommodate their pulley..

There use to be a vendor Bob Helm in Texas that had all the good parts for the AC and a nice looking under dash unit.

I believe Vintage Air worked with Bob to make his kits..

Click Here ==>> https://www.vintageair.com/search-re...qry=studebaker

You can see the spacers in the kit..

I'm a fitment freak and had to use the parts, and modify them to get it to fit the way I liked it. I did not use any spacers..

Most dryers are on the right wheel well, but that is just lazy..

So it will not be a one day task to bolt it in.

I also used a smaller hose because the supplied one was bigger than the radiator hose.. Couldn't figure that out.

Click to see my album ==>

Looking closer at your pix, I like the way you ran the alternator belt straight to the crank pulley. I am definitely gonna try setting mine up that way. I have always disliked the idea of two belts putting side load on the WP. This looks like a simple solution, and cost only the price of a belt. Thanks !

[Hawkowner2]

I purchased one of these kits and installed it on my GT
mounting the compressor on the generator bracket and faced a bracket using a Hawk alternator bracket from a 63 GT. I had a problem with the first compressor and Cold Master replaced it and the dryer no questions asked. And the kit was over a year old. I have been in their place of business and they have a huge inventory. They have been in business over 25 years. They do a lot of small bus installations.Very good people.

[JoeHall]

If you see the link to the Vintage Air, they are the ones that make the brackets that summit sells. Same part numbers..

I do not believe the power steering belt ever went around the water pump, only the Alt/Gen.

Factory AC they added a AC pulley to the crank, and the water pump sandwiched on the original pulleys

I used the R1 Avanti water pump pulley so I could easily used the thermal clutch fan, The AC belt now is the only belt on the water pump pulley. The PS and Alt belts just run off the crank.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]82196[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]82197[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]82198[/ATTACH]

You misunderstood. I did not say the PS belt ran on my 63GT's water pump pulley, but the alternator belt and compressor belts do. The PS belt runs between the AC and WP belts. The compressor belt is adjusted by an idler that is located down near the crank pulley, as in your pic.

My 63GT has factory AC, but I swapped the original compressor out for a Sanyo 508 style.

[SScopelli]

Thanks to Summit Racing, we can buy a compressor mount made specifically for Stude V8, with or without PS. The one for power steering equipped Studes is Summit #151593-SSA, at $302 ; without PS is 151591-SSA, at $263, and 151590-SSA without PS or crank pulley, at $192.

I installed #151593-SSA in my PS equipped 62GT about seven years and 45,000 miles ago, when I rebuilt the 289. It was a complete kit, right down to nuts, bolts, washers and spacers. I prefer it, because it takes the belt load off the water pump pulley, by using an idler pulley alongside the PS pump. It has been trouble free. I plan to install one on the wife's 63GT someday, when I get round to it. It has the kind that runs a 2nd sheave on the water pump, which puts needless side load on the pump bearing.

If you see the link to the Vintage Air, they are the ones that make the brackets that summit sells. Same part numbers..

I do not believe the power steering belt ever went around the water pump, only the Alt/Gen.

Factory AC they added a AC pulley to the crank, and the water pump sandwiched on the original pulleys

I used the R1 Avanti water pump pulley so I could easily used the thermal clutch fan, The AC belt now is the only belt on the water pump pulley. The PS and Alt belts just run off the crank.

[JoeHall]

Thanks to Summit Racing, we can buy a compressor mount made specifically for Stude V8, with or without PS. The one for power steering equipped Studes is Summit #151593-SSA, at $302 ; without PS is 151591-SSA, at $263, and 151590-SSA without PS or crank pulley, at $192.

I installed #151593-SSA in my PS equipped 62GT about seven years and 45,000 miles ago, when I rebuilt the 289. It was a complete kit, right down to nuts, bolts, washers and spacers. I prefer it, because it takes the belt load off the water pump pulley, by using an idler pulley alongside the PS pump. It has been trouble free. I plan to install one on the wife's 63GT someday, when I get round to it. It has the kind that runs a 2nd sheave on the water pump, which puts needless side load on the pump bearing.

[SScopelli]

These "Kits" are good for supplying the parts. The difficult parts are the AC bracket, and the AC pulley itself. If you can find an AC pulley you might be ahead of the game.

If MC is providing it, they will also provide spacers because you may have to move other components, Alt, Power Steering, etc. to accommodate their pulley..

There use to be a vendor Bob Helm in Texas that had all the good parts for the AC and a nice looking under dash unit.

I believe Vintage Air worked with Bob to make his kits..

Click Here ==>> https://www.vintageair.com/search-re...qry=studebaker

You can see the spacers in the kit..

I'm a fitment freak and had to use the parts, and modify them to get it to fit the way I liked it. I did not use any spacers..

Most dryers are on the right wheel well, but that is just lazy..

So it will not be a one day task to bolt it in.

I also used a smaller hose because the supplied one was bigger than the radiator hose.. Couldn't figure that out.

Click to see my album ==>

[what huh]

Wow thanks for the quick replies guys. I have a hydraulic fitting machine at work that I have access to for making the hoses.

As far as attractive, whatever keeps me cool is attractive in my book. A big part of the classic car cruising game for me is relaxing and comfort lol